BackIndia, US must ease tensions in trade ties, says Jaishankar
New Delhi’s stand on J&K clear, it won’t accept mediation, says foreign minister in USJaishankar said there has been some progress in trade ties but both sides need to show results
PremiumNEW DELHI : Irritants in India-US trade ties must be smoothened quickly in the interest of the broader bilateral relationship, India said on Tuesday.
Foreign minister S Jaishankar, who is in Washington, said some progress has been achieved but both sides need to show results. Jaishankar is in the US to meet with key Trump administration figures, including his opposite number secretary of state Mike Pompeo, defence secretary Mark Esper and newly appointed national security advisor Robert O’Brien.
Talking to reporters after his meeting with Pompeo on his first US visit since becoming foreign minister, Jaishankar also said India’s stance on Kashmir was very clear – that New Delhi would not accept mediation from any quarter.
On trade, Jaishankar said both he and Pompeo “felt that while trade issues have progressed, for the larger relationship it was important we see some results out there."
The comments come ahead of a visit to India by US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross this week. Commerce minister Piyush Goyal and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer have been talking to each other on how to address some of the trade issues. Goyal joined prime minister Narendra Modi on his visit to the US last week where Modi met President Donald Trump for a bilateral meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Trump had then told reporters that two countries will soon sign a limited trade accord, and follow it up with a free trade pact. Later foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale indicated that the limited pact too would take some time to clinch.
India is demanding exemption from high duties imposed by the US on certain steel and aluminium products, resumption of export benefits to certain domestic products under the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), and greater market access for its products from sectors such as agriculture, automobile, auto components and engineering. The US, on its part, wants greater market access for its farm and manufacturing products, dairy items and medical devices, and a cut on import duties on some products. The US has also raised concerns over the high trade deficit with India.
Addressing the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank on Monday, Jaishankar said most of the trade disputes between India and the US are “resolvable in the near term" and ruled out pushing the issue for the next American administration to deal with.
Jaishankar described his meeting with Pompeo as a “very comfortable one."
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